Er, okay... I don't actually hate Buffy, here or in the show. I was just exploring other possibilities for that scene.

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!

Yeah, I mentioned that in response to one of the earlier reviews. :) Spike does get romanticized some - it's not always a noble warrior's battle; he fights dirty, too. But since it's Buffy's thought, I'm gonna say that she's projecting her own feelings onto Spike - what she really means is that she should've given him a fair fight. After their years of rivalry, the only really satisfying way for it to end - for either of them - would be for one of them to win in a fair fight. I think any of Spike's cheap shots, if they had worked, would have been just as dissatisfying as this.

Thanks for the review - although I'm not sure if I should be disturbed that you found it funny. ;) Morbid girl, you are!

Yeah... I'm pretty evil, I know. :) These two drabbles both have the same sort of twist to them, where it looks like it's happy, and then the end hits you with the harsh reality.

No... she knew it was Spike. Are you talking about the last line? She's reflecting on the fact that she didn't give *him* a fair fight - his death isn't really satisfying to her because it wasn't worthy of a warrior.

I think she's already starting to show remorse - at least regretting not killing him in a fair fight, if not feeling sorry that he's gone - but like I said to Beth, I don't really see continuing this one. There's something about just leaving it in that uncomfortable place that appeals to me.

Thanks for the review! You know, now that I think about it, there were a few times when it wasn't really a fair fight, but Buffy managed to get away (Halloween, Lie to Me), but I think, just like Buffy here, it wouldn't have been as satisfying to him if he'd ended up killing her that way.

I don't think it's cold-hearted so much as rash, but that's your opinion.

Well, it's sadly not the first time we've seen Buffy be a bitch. If you want mitigating circumstances, I'd say that it was a rash decision that she'll probably feel bad about later, but if you want to hate her, that's okay, too. :)

Hmm... I never really intended to write more (this was more of an exercise to keep the juices flowing while I decide which long fic idea I want to tackle next). I could see maybe a follow-up with Dawn and Joyce reacting, but I wouldn't want to bring Spike back at all. Not all stories are meant to have a happy ending, and in this case, it's just something Buffy has to live with.